Improve Production Systems Research Articles

Innovative Schemes and Partnerships to Leverage Investment in SPS Systems

This paper examines existing funding mechanisms in agriculture in order to elucidate recommendations for new mechanisms that could be transferable to SPS capacity building. Conventional forms of financing are hardly accessible in agri-producing states. Thus, traders are often excluded from full gains of trade exchanges and international markets. An objective to enhance financial sustainability and phase out traditional funding schemes calls to galvanize actions at the multilateral level. Declining ODA and inefficient public funding reaffirms the need to implement new financial instruments and services targeted on inclusiveness, efficiency and safety of agriculture development. The safety aspect is governed by sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, which are an essential condition to reach out to international markets. The implementation of food SPS provisions can be costly, yet the lack of conformity with SPS imposes bigger losses on actors of agri value chains. Improved access to finance will strengthen the capacity to improve production systems, protect public health and increase the market access. This paper examines existing funding mechanisms in agriculture and related fields in order to elucidate recommendations for new mechanisms that could be transferable to SPS capacity building.

Intensification of maize (Zea mays) –based cropping sequence in rainfed ecosystem of Sikkim Himalayas for improving system productivity, profitability, employment generation and energy-use efficiency under organic management condition

Three-year (2012–13, 2013–14 and 2014–15) fixed plot field experiment was conducted at Research Farm, ICAR Sikkim Centre, Tadong with five maize (Zea mays L.) – based crop sequences, viz. maize–fallow, maize–rajmash, maize–toria, maize–buckwheat and maize (green cob)–urdbean–buckwheat to identify the resource efficient cropping systems under resource scarce, rainfed conditions of Sikkim Himalayas at an altitude of 1 300 amsl. Results showed that all the intensified cropping systems were significantly superior over maize–fallow system under rainfed condition of Sikkim at mid-altitude in terms of productivity, production efficiency, profitability, land use efficiency, employment generation and energy-use efficiency. However, among the intensified cropping sequence, maize (green cobs)–urdbean– buckwheat system was most resource efficient and recorded significantly higher values of system productivity (8.89 tonnes/ha), relative system production efficiency (24.36 kg/ha/day), net return (303.4 × 103 `/ha), B:C ratio (2.59) and system employment generation (285 man-days/ha) over other cropping systems. With regards to the energetics, cultivation of three crops {maize (green cob)–urdbean–buckwheat} in a year recorded 188.9%, 192%, 25.8% and 6.5% higher gross energy return, net energy return, energy use efficiency and energy productivity, respectively, over maize–fallow rotation of the region. Contrarily, maximum value of specific energy (MJ/kg) was recorded with maize-fallow and least with maize (green cob)–urdbean–buckwheat. This indicated that for the production of unit amount of grain, higher energy was required in maize–fallow system as compared to other diversified sequences.

A business strategy for eco-sustainability: some critical framework components

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Sustainability has become one of the most important issues for businesses today. Growing concerns about environmental welfare has guaranteed that eco-sustainability is now high on many company agendas around the globe. The critical nature of sustainability is without question. Firms that fail to recognize this might be seriously jeopardizing competitiveness, growth and success in the longer term. Organizations face a pretty formidable challenge. The natural quest to attain economic goals must be balanced by the obligation to meet existing and future environmental and social responsibilities. Some companies can’t be faulted for their efforts in this respect. Moves to reduce their carbon footprint and improve production systems are testimony to that. But in spite of such moves, natural resources continue to diminish as a result of business activities. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

An Approach to Integrate Parameters and Indicators of Sustainability Management into Value Stream Mapping

In production research, sustainability is discussed in various forms and often combined with Value Stream Mapping (VSM), a highly accepted method in practice for improving production systems using lean principles. In scientific literature, most authors present frameworks for scoring production processes (e.g. ratios, benchmarks). These approaches aim to reduce (material) input for producing a specific amount of goods. Hence, improved target-conditions of value streams can be designed to increase ecological efficiency and therefore decrease costs. However, the main aim of this contribution is to present an approach to combine generally accepted parameters and indicators of sustainability and VSM. This approach is based on process-oriented accounting of resource consumption along buffers, transports and processes along value streams. This model of integrating sustainability into VSM goes conform with international accepted guidelines to prevent disposals of input resources by reuse, recycle and recovery. On the one hand, following international guidelines and frameworks, this approach can be used for sustainability reporting; e.g. calculating emitted solvents per produced part, kilogram carbon dioxide equivalents per produced part (with units [kgCDE] or [kgCO2eq]), kilogram disposals per produced part, etc. On the other hand, companies will be able to calculate costs and revenues of sustainable value streams; i.e. to quantify their efforts and benefits monetary. Hence, it is necessary to immerse into material flows in value stream, material consumptions at processes, energy consumption of transports, buffers and processes in value stream, linkage of processes with scrap rates, creation of waste, etc. New data lines in VSM need to be created to represent the parameters and indicators of sustainability. The research findings will be presented by an use case from automotive industry.

Confidence-Based Reliability Evaluation of Multistate Production Network with Process Improvement

Effectively assessing and improving production systems in different scenarios are critical for the management of production processes. This paper proposes a new approach that takes process improvement into consideration to evaluate system reliability. The system reliability is defined as the probability that the volume of input processed successfully through the individual workstations within a production system. This system reliability evaluation approach models the production system as a confidence-based multistate production network (CP-MPN). The discrete-time Markov chain is adopted to feature the CP-MPN, and the target success rate (TSR) is set as a reference to achieve the purpose of process improvement of each workstation. Our results indicate that, when the TSR is improved, the CP-MPN can meet both the given demand and confidence level with less input. This curtailed input volume diminishes the loadings of workstations so that the system reliability of the CP-MPN can be enhanced. Two examples (a tile production system and a printed circuit board (PCB) production system) are presented to demonstrate the confidence-based reliability evaluation approach and prove our results. This paper provides not only a practicable method to evaluate system reliability that includes the process improvement perspective but also a workable indicator to guide production managers to improve the quality of workstations.

Adhesive Bonding Joints of Coating with Zn/Mg Layer on Sheets for Car-Body Panels at Temperature Loading

The paper deals with the monitoring of utility properties of new coating type on the basis of Zn/Mg (ZM). For the comparison there was used commonly used coating in the series production of car-body panels on the basis of zinc (Z100). Measured results markedly contribute to improve production systems of car-body adhesion bonding on the basic of performed evaluation of applied coatings types utility properties quality with regard to influence of temperature and corrosion environment. Testing was carry out by T-peel test acc. to ISO 11339 when such type of loading represents crucial bonding fracture type. Thus results reveal information about behavior of adhesive joints strength properties together with the type of fracture as a criterion for suitable application of new coatings types on the basis of Zn/Mg and their implementation into series production of automobiles.

A New Production Scheduling Module Using Priority-Rule Based Genetic Algorithm

Production scheduling is an important function that determines the efficiency and productivity of a production system. Many optimization methods, techniques, tools, and heuristics have been used to solve production scheduling problems, accordingly priority rules are implemented for customers’ orders in real-world applications. Simulations and heuristic methods are quite useful for making decisions, and they are used mostly to design and improve production systems by reducing their complexity. In this study, a Priority Rule-Based Genetic Algorithm Scheduling (PRGA-Sched) module was developed to provide shorter total completion time in production scheduling. The module was integrated with the Faborg-Sim simulation tool. As a case study, a heating boiler manufacturing system was analyzed and simulated with six products and customers’ orders by using production data from the PRGA-Sched module in Faborg-Sim. The results showed that a shorter total completion time is obtained and saved than the initial situation by via PRGA-Sched module. (Received in July 2014, accepted in April 2015. This paper was with the authors 3 months for 2 revisions.)

Optimizing the fault-tolerance overheads of HPC systems using prediction and multiple proactive actions

The complexity and scale of high-performance computer systems are rapidly increasing, so fault tolerance is becoming a critical challenge. In this paper, we consider the impact of multiple proactive actions on proactive fault tolerance and periodic checkpointing. We extended Aupy's model in the presence of multiple proactive actions, including proactive checkpointing and task migration. We then propose optimal strategies for deciding when to trust predictions, and provide algorithms for the optimal storage interval for periodic checkpointing. The results show that the proposed method can significantly improve system productivity. Our case study indicates that the recall of the predictor is more important for small platforms, and that precision becomes increasingly important as the scale of the system increases.

Usability of bioslurry to improve system productivity and economic return under potato-rice cropping system

Establishment of huge number of biogas plant in the recent years in Bangladesh creates a burden to disposal of bioslurry. An attempt was undertaken to explore the usability of bioslurry in agricultural crop production under potato-rice system as well as to reduce bioslurry induced pollution. The experiment involved a sole chemical fertilizer treatment, four treatments based on integrated plant nutrition system with 5 t ha-1 cowdung and cowdung bioslurry and 3 t ha–1 poultry manure and poultry manure bioslurry, and a control. The potato crops received manures or slurries, and its residual effect was evaluated on the succeeding T.Aman crop. Poultry manure bioslurry, poultry manure, cowdung bioslurry and cowdung gave 22.5, 20.0, 9.9 and 2.9 % increase in total system productivity, respectively over sole chemical fertilizer treatment. Bioslurries had higher contribution compared to their respective original manure. Bioslurry was found very useful as manure for crop production.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(1): 27-33, April 2015

Supervisor Synthesis and Performance Improvement for Automated Manufacturing Systems by Using Petri Nets

For event-driven systems like automated manufacturing systems (AMSs), intelligent part dispatching, i.e., to assign various parts to proper processing routes, is crucial to gain high resource utilization and production efficiency. This work proposes an innovative dispatching mechanism, which can better these metrics by minimizing the cycle time, i.e., the mean time to produce a product, while avoiding any deadlock, i.e., no part can proceed due to circuit wait. Its prerequisite is liveness supervision; however, temporal information is associated to certain operation stages for the sake of performance evaluation and throughput maximization, i.e., to maximize the finished-part quantity per time unit. In the paradigm of Petri nets, we show the criticality to prioritize certain activities locally. Our method can well design ratio parameters among distinct processes to improve system productivity.

SYSTEM FOR SUPPORT THE DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF RECONFIGURABLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

This paper is an experimental study of the system for support the design and optimization of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS), which contains from the basic components of the proposed solution. Individual parts communicate with each other and exchange information which is necessary for implement required tasks. In addition, this paper also investigates the reconfigurable manu- facturing systems, that are designed so that they may allow rapid adaptation of own capacities (market changes, product changes and to unexpected system turbulences). The aim of reconfigurable manufacturing systems is to improve production system response and thereby to provide an alternative to low-cost and high-quality production.

ON-FARM EXPERIMENTATION ON CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN MAIZE-LEGUME BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS IN KENYA: WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS

SUMMARYConservation agriculture (CA) is a promising technology for controlling soil degradation, mitigating drought, increasing crop yield and reducing production costs. We hypothesized that adopting CA system would improve system productivity and efficiency, hence resulting in higher profits. To test the hypothesis, we designed a study to evaluate water use efficiency (WUE) and the economic benefits (yield and gross margins) of CA in the upper and lower midlands agro-ecological zones of eastern Kenya. Four tillage treatments, including farmers’ practice (residues removed), conventional tillage (residues removed) and two CA practices with residue retention (zero tillage and furrow–ridge), were laid out in 22 farmers’ fields where each farm was treated as a replicate. The results are based on four consecutive seasons farmer–researcher managed trials during the period 2010 and 2012. CA significantly improved crop yields after the first season of experimentation. Joint use of zero tillage and furrow–ridge provided higher WUE and yield advantage (25–34%) in the third and fourth seasons compared to the conventional practices. The lower midlands zone gave higher WUE values, which can be explained by the effects of water harvesting and retention for longer period on CA treatments. CA practices have increased income on average by 12% resulted from labour cost reduction and yield increment. Weeding costs for conventional tillage were USD 88 ha−1 compared to USD 24 ha−1 for herbicide application under CA. Practicing CA will certainly increase crop yields, WUE, generate more revenue and diversify risks during poor seasons. However, these benefits may not necessarily be earned in the first season, but will accrue in subsequent seasons.

Market Demand Oriented Data-Driven Modeling for Dynamic Manufacturing System Control

In this paper, a market demand driven modeling framework is developed. The market demand is modeled as an end-of-line virtual machine based on which the market demand dissatisfaction (MDD) can be measured as production loss using event-based analysis. A general Markovian continuous-flow model is developed for market demand-driven systems with multistage production networks combining manual and automatic processes. Machine failure bottlenecks (MF-BNs) and machine capacity bottlenecks (MC-BNs) are defined and identified based on event-based indicators. A supervisory control algorithm is integrated in the framework to reduce MDD and improve system productivity through identification and mitigation of MF-BNs and MC-BNs. Simulation-based analysis will also be utilized, and case studies are performed to validate the effectiveness of the modeling framework and the supervisory control policies.

Kinerja dan Perbaikan Sistim Produksi Peternakan Sapi Potong Berbasis Kelompok di Pedesaan

(Performance and improving beef cattle production system of farmer group based in the rural areas)ABSTRACT. The objectives of this study was to determine the performance of beef cattle farm under improved production systems of farmer group in the rural areas. Data were collected from 20 beef cattle farmer groups located in Cilacap, Banyumas, Banjarnegara and Kebumen regencies. Intervension factors such as improved production system including aspects of institutional, banking access, diversification of business, trading, and development programs. Regular reporting, interviews, field observations, and forum group discussion were implemented. Descriptive analysis was applied in this study. Variables focused on livestock production systems improvement, type and performance of development program, social resource potential and group dynamics, productivity levels, and also proposed program and recommendations of action programs. This study revealed that 10% of beef cattle farmer group implementing fattening cattle, and mostly (90%) applying combination of cow-calf operation and fattening. All of the beef cattle farmer group (100%) had a high score of social resources potential, while the group dynamics tend to stable (60%) and increased (40%). Mean of reproduction performance were 2.4 (S/C), 13.7 month (calving interval), and 76.5% (pregnancy rate). In general, BCS ranging from 4 to 7 with the highest score of 6 (45%) and followed by 7 (40%). Follow-up activities for recommendation of the action program could be the Beef Cattle Cluster Development of Farmer Group Based in the Rural Areas.

Comprehensive Approaches in Rehabilitating Salt Affected Soils: A Review on Indian Perspective

Land, a non-renewable resource, is central to all primary production system. Increasing pressure of populationgrowth, economic development, climate change, land use changes, and environmental pollutionlead to different types of land degradation including salinization. Salt affected soils are normally uncultivated, uninhabited bare lands with poor quality and suffer from different stress conditions. These soils are generally not conducive for regeneration of vegetation. Salt affected soils are usually barren but potentially productive. Rehabilitation includes control of extension of salt affected soils, its reclamation, stabilization and eco-restoration. The rehabilitation of these lands is common through chemical means and engineering approaches. Extension of salt affected soils is controlled by utilizing the resource on sustainable basis. Good quality irrigation water and sufficient drainage facility accompanying with other physical measures help in reclamation of soil. Chemical reclamation requires different types of amendments for different soils. Biological reclamation of salt affected soil is more important from stabilization of soil quality and eco-restoration points of view. Selection of salt tolerant plants and crops are very important for cultivation in salt affected soils. Improved production systems including horticultural, pastoral, agri-horticultural, silvi-pastoral, silvi-cultural, agroforestry are the components of integrated farming system in bio-saline agriculture. The judicious use of the reclaimed lands for different production purposes and restoration of quality of soil through people’s participation in rehabilitative work is the way to get out of problem of salt affected soil.

Reprint of “Optimizing intensive cereal-based cropping systems addressing current and future drivers of agricultural change in the Northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India”

Increasing scarcity of resources (labour, water, and energy) and cost of production, along with climate variability, are major challenges for the sustainability of rice–wheat system in the northwesten Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). We hypothesized that adopting the principles of conservation agriculture together with best crop management practices would improve system productivity and overall efficiency, resulting in a higher profitability. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the performance of four cropping system scenarios (treatments), which were designed to be adapted to current and future drivers of agricultural changes. The treatments including farmers practices varied in tillage and crop establishment methods, residue management, crop sequence, and crop management. Zero-tillage direct-seeded rice (ZT-DSR) with residue retention and best management practices provided equivalent or higher yield and 30–50% lower irrigation water use than those of farmer-managed puddled transplanted rice (CT-TPR). Overall, net economic returns increased up to 79% with a net reduction in production cost of up to US$ 55ha−1 in ZT-DSR than CT-TPR. Substituting rice with ZT maize was equally profitable but with 88–95% less irrigation water use. Avoiding puddling in rice and dry tillage in maize with residue retention increased yield (by 0.5–1.2tha−1) and net economic returns of the succeeding wheat crop. Inclusion of mungbean in the rotation further increased system productivity and economic returns. In summary, our initial results of 2-year field study showed positive effects of CA-based improved management practices on yield and system efficiencies with greater benefits in the second year. There is a need of longer term monitoring to quantify cumulative effects of various interventions and to eventually make recommendations for wider dissemination.

Guiding strategies for breeding vegetable cultivars

Vegetables are considered essential for well-balanced diets. The production and marketing of vegetables crops are undergoing continuous change globally. This is mainly due to the growing demands of consumers for safe and healthy vegetables, increased urbanisation of societies, and the growth in scale and influence of supermarkets chains. Horticultural science can respond to many of these challenges through research, breeding and innovation that can seek to gain more efficient methods of crop production, refined post-harvest storage and handling methods, newer and higher value vegetable cultivars and demonstration of their health benefits. Vegetable breeding has to address and satisfy the needs of both the consumer and the producer. Innovation in vegetable breeding depends on specific knowledge, the development and application of new technologies, access to genetic resources, and capital to utilise them. The driving force behind this innovation is acquiring or increasing market share. Access to technology, as well as biodiversity, is essential for the development of new vegetable cultivars. A few multinational corporations, whose vast economic power has effectively marginalized the role of public sector breeding as well as local, small/medium-scale seed companies, dominate the global vegetable seed trade. For most vegetable crops, only a few multinational seed corporations are controlling large part of the world market. This situation makes a growing part of the global vegetable supply dependent on a few seed providers. The multinational seed corporations ensued from merging some small or medium vegetable breeding programs to reduce costs. There may be fewer vegetable breeders in the future and growers will rely on seeds with a narrow genetic base. In order to meet future needs of vegetable breeders it is important that educational programs incorporate rapidly changing new technologies with classical content and methods. Active and positive connections between the private and public breeding sectors and large-scale gene banks are required to avoid a possible conflict involving breeders’ rights, gene preservation and erosion. Horticulturists will need to develop cultural practices and vegetable breeders to breed vegetables for a multifunctional horticulture (diversity, health promotion, post-harvest, year round suply, etc.) and to cope with harsher climate conditions and lower inputs than they have come to expect. Improved production systems that can cope with climate extremes must allow vegetables to produce under high temperatures, greater drought stress, increased soil salinity, and periodic flooding. This will involve a combination of improved vegetable cultivars and modified production systems.

Expanding the contribution of dairy goats in efficient and sustainable production systems

Goats contribute significantly to human nutrition, food security and income of resource-poor small farmers in Asia, Africa and beyond. Because of the high content of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in goat milk, it is beneficial for human health resulting in it being sold at premium prices of three to nine times the price of cow milk in countries like China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Goats play a significant role in farming systems that directly impact on the capacity of rural farmers striving for the objective of sustainable food production systems. Increasing sustainable food production, particularly of animal proteins, presents major challenges to these small farms in the face of massive demands that are driven by rapid growth of human populations and increased availability of disposable income. In the last two decades, expanding market demand for goat milk has resulted in the establishment of commercial dairy goat farms in several newly developed South-east Asian countries. Major challenges to expanding production exist, and include ways to utilise the well-adapted features inherent in goats and their potential production to benefit the small and commercial farmers alike. Increasing the knowledge base is a priority to stimulate improved production systems and, increased the income of dairy goat farmers and other people involved in the industry. The recent establishment of the Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat Network supported jointly by FAO and Universiti Putra Malaysia, and national programs of participating countries, are committed to address these objectives and facilitate much-needed improvements to sustain dairy goat production systems in Asia and beyond.

Optimizing intensive cereal-based cropping systems addressing current and future drivers of agricultural change in the northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

Increasing scarcity of resources (labour, water, and energy) and cost of production, along with climate variability, are major challenges for the sustainability of rice–wheat system in the northwesten Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). We hypothesized that adopting the principles of conservation agriculture together with best crop management practices would improve system productivity and overall efficiency, resulting in a higher profitability. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the performance of four cropping system scenarios (treatments), which were designed to be adapted to current and future drivers of agricultural changes. The treatments including farmers practices varied in tillage and crop establishment methods, residue management, crop sequence, and crop management. Zero-tillage direct-seeded rice (ZT-DSR) with residue retention and best management practices provided equivalent or higher yield and 30–50% lower irrigation water use than those of farmer-managed puddled transplanted rice (CT-TPR). Overall, net economic returns increased up to 79% with a net reduction in production cost of up to US$ 55ha−1 in ZT-DSR than CT-TPR. Substituting rice with ZT maize was equally profitable but with 88–95% less irrigation water use. Avoiding puddling in rice and dry tillage in maize with residue retention increased yield (by 0.5–1.2tha−1) and net economic returns of the succeeding wheat crop. Inclusion of mungbean in the rotation further increased system productivity and economic returns. In summary, our initial results of 2-year field study showed positive effects of CA-based improved management practices on yield and system efficiencies with greater benefits in the second year. There is a need of longer term monitoring to quantify cumulative effects of various interventions and to eventually make recommendations for wider dissemination.

Knowledge Management at the Village Level: How Thai Rice Farmers Incorporate Technologies to Improve Production Systems

The shift from agricultural to industrial and from industrial to knowledge societies has affected the ways farmers run their small-scale field activitiesin Central Thailand. To remain competitive, rice farmers need to continuously incorporate innovations and upgrade their technologies to sustain operations. These innovations and technologies may be seen in practically all aspects of the rice production process – from seed selection to fertilization, from seed raising and growth to irrigation, from crop protection to harvesting, threshing and drying. The study basically aims to explore the plausibility of rice farming villages as “learning organizations” and within these villages, the viability of forming “communities of practice.” In so doing, it investigates how the rice farming village under study organizes, shares, moves and gains information on rice farming. The study was conducted in Baan Sap Som Boon, Nonglue Subdistrict, Muang District, Chainat Province. The study uses a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design. It uses both primary and secondary data and an ethnographic study approach. Research method and techniques consist of review of materials, interview with key persons and farmers in the community, interview with government personnel and field observations. Data generation was conducted from October 2004 to July 2005 in Chainat Province, Thailand.